Month: September 2023

God Grants Love to Build the Church

Paul’s letter so far has dealt with
problems of a personal nature.
But now he addresses public issues
in the Corinthian church: the veiling
of women, the importance of the
Lord’s Supper & the use of spiritual
gifts. Worship must be characterised
by propriety and orderliness. And
spiritual gifts must be Exercised
In Love, for the building up of the
whole body of Christ. Only then
is the church of God properly
worshipping the God of the church.

Lord, we’ll Choose Way of Love:
Love is patient and kind…
It does not demand its own way…
Love never gives up, never loses
faith, is always hopeful & endures
through every circumstance.
Love never fails (1Cor13:4-8).
And now these three remains:
faith, hope and love. But the
greatest of these is love (v13).
Pursue love and desire spiritual
gifts, especially that you may
prophesy… Helping others…
encouraging them (1 Cor 14:1-3)

Lord, Thank You for loving me,
being with me and for me; and
I purpose to love You more.
Help me Lord to love others,
even when it is difficult to do so.
Help me to be other-centred.
Enable me to express Your self-
giving love to those You have
put in my world. And show me
ways to love unreservedly. Amen.

Lord, I can be tempted to despair;
Increase my faith; grant me the
steadfastness to persevere in faith.
I have bitterness toward situations
and people; Increase my love;
grant me concern and compassion
for others to persevere in love.
At times I feel fear and faint hearted;
Increase my hope; grant me the
solid assurance of the future
to rise above fear. In Jesus’ name.

Lord, help me to rest in Your love
and so be able to give love freely
to those in my life and influence.
Help me to give love without
condition and without judgment.
Help me not to presume that
ministry sacrifices are substitutes
for really loving people. Show me
where I have not been loving in
recent busy days. And show me
where I could act more lovingly in
the days ahead. In His name. Amen.

God Promises Spiritual Gifts(Sep 28)

Paul’s letter so far has dealt with
problems of a personal nature.
But now he addresses public issues
in the Corinthian church: the veiling
of women, the importance of the
Lord’s Supper & the use of spiritual
gifts. Worship must be characterised
by propriety and orderliness. And
spiritual gifts must be exercised
in love, for the building up of the
whole body of Christ. Only then
is the church of God properly
worshipping the God of the church.

Lord, we will Use Spiritual Gifts:
There are different kinds of gifts,
but the same Spirit distributes them.
There are different kinds of service
but the same Lord who does the work in all of us (1Cor 12:4-6).
Now to each one of the
manifestation of the Spirit is
given for the Common Good.
To one is given the word of wisdom
through the Spirit, to another faith
by the same Spirit, to another
gifts of healings (v7-9).
But one and the same Spirit…
distributing to each one
individually as He wills (v11).

Lord, Your Word says that You give
Your people special gifts that they
can use to build Your kingdom.
Thank You for the different kinds
of gifts that the Spirit has given me.
Give me wisdom & discernment
and opportunities to use them
so as to help accomplish the
Lord’s will on earth. Amen.

Lord, I worship You for Your
creativity & welcome it in my life.
May I never place limits on what
I expect You to say or how U say it.
Open my mind to anything that is
in Your heart. Help me to discern
and to hear Your voice in others.
Help me to see past their flaws
and to recognise what You are
saying through them. Amen.

Lord, grant me the gift of wisdom
and of special knowledge. Alert me
to Your gentle nudges to represent
You to others. Make me aware of
various creative ways You speak
so that I can speak forth Your word.
And teach me to ask: What are You
really saying; before I even think:
Why is this thing happening.
In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.

God Provides Way Out

Backgrounder to 1 Cor 7-15:
The Corinthian Church had sent
Apostle Paul a list of questions
on marriage, morality, liberty,
worship and resurrection.
Building on Old Testament
quotations and Christ’s teaching,
Paul answered them in a way meant
to correct abuses in the church
and to show how important it is
that they live what they believe.

Lord, help us Resist Temptation:
We should not lust after evil things…
And do not become idolaters…
Nor let us commit sexual immorality..
nor complain as some of them
complain (1 Corinthians 10:6-10).
Therefore let him who thinks
he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken
you except what is common
to mankind. And God is faithful;
He will Not let u be Tempted
Beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
He will also Provide A Way Out
so that you can endure it (v12-13)
Therefore my beloved, flee
from idolatry. I speak as to the
wise; judge for yourselves (v14-15).

Lord, help us to be watchful of evil,
idolatry & immorality lurking around.
Whilst You God don’t promise
to protect us from temptations,
You promise Your help In Resisting
temptations when we face them.
Thank You Lord for Your promise
that No temptation will ever
be so strong that we can’t
stand up against it. Amen.

Lord, at times we may feel that
temptation is overpowering or
impossible to resist; but thank
You for Providing A Way Out.
Thank You for Holy Spirit to help
us recognise tempting situations
and show the way to escape.
Help us stay away from every
activity we know that is wrong.
Help us Lord to consciously
choose to do only what is right.
Help us O Lord for apart from
You we can do nothing. Amen.

Lord, Thank You for promising
that we can always escape the
temptation that comes our way.
We trust You O God to keep any
temptation from becoming so
strong that we have to give in to it.
Help us Lord to Resist temptation
or Flee from it as Joseph once did.
For although it’s not easy to escape
from temptation, it’s possible. Amen.

Live Worthy of Passover Lamb

Backgrounder to 1 Corinthians 1-6:
Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to believers at Corinth
to correct errors in their public
and private behaviour which
are detracting their gospel witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
Paul sets forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we’ll live Worthy of Passover:
Purge out the old leaven so that
you can stay pure. For Christ
our Passover Lamb has been
sacrificed for us (1Cor 5:7).
Your sins have been washed away
and you have been set apart
for God. You have been made
right with God because of what
the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of
our God have done for u (1C6:11).
Flee sexual immorality…
Do you not know that your body
is the temple of the Holy Spirit
who is in you… For you were
bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body (v19-20).

Lord Jesus, our Passover Lamb,
You had indeed bought us at
a high price; and being indwelt by
the Holy Spirit, we belong to You.
And in the world, we can see
families torn apart and much pain,
from the misuse of Your good gift.
Lord tell us to flee from sexual sins.
Help us to appreciate Your gift of
sex & use it as You intended. Amen

Lord, as we seek a deep sense
of holiness, we find ourselves
pushing against a very strong tide.
Only the power of Your gospel
and the reality that we belong to You
have pushback power against
this tide. Give us the word and
the Will to keep up the fight,
realising that our bodies indeed
belong to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Lord Jesus, You indeed bought
us at a heavy price and rightly
we purpose to love You and
consecrate for faithful service.
O Lord, I give myself to You
I am born to be Yours, to be
Your instrument to serve You.
Grant me the grace to abide
in You, to seek Your ways and
to be obedient to You. Amen.

Spirit of God Gives Insights

Churches aren’t perfect because
churches are full of imperfect pple.
Paul writes to the believers at
Corinth to correct errors in their
public & private behaviour which
are detracting from their witness.
These include factions, immorality
and lawsuits between believers.
And Paul set forth godly guidelines
for conduct consistent with the
grace of God given by Christ.

Lord, we Seek Your Insight:
I thank my God… that you were
enriched by Him in… all knowledge…
God, no eye has seen, no ear heard,
no mind has conceived what You
have prepared for those who love
You, but You have revealed it to us
by Your Spirit. The Spirit teaches
us all things, even the deep things
of God (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, 9-10).
What we have received is..the Spirit
who is from God, so that we may
understand what God has freely
given us. This is what we speak…
in words taught by the Spirit,
explaining Spiritual Realities
with Spirit-taught words (v12-13).
Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?
But we understand these things,
for we have the Mind of Christ (v16)

Lord, as I bring issues before You
and consider the circumstances,
I see evidence of Your leading.
As I consider my convictions and
as I think about the things people
are saying, I can sense Your voice.
As I meditate Scripture each day,
they lead me to see Your direction.
When I take all these together, I get
a sense of how You’re leading me.
Confirm Lord the inner impression
with Your Secrets and peace. Amen.

Lord, when we need insights and
direction or facing challenges,
we tend to seek worldly counsel.
But there is a more reliable and
excellent source of ultimate
knowledge, the Holy Spirit.
Thank You Father for giving us
the Holy Spirit who lives inside us.
O Spirit, do make clear spiritual
realities to me and enable me to
make the correct decision. Amen.

Lord, let me see as U see to enable
me to act according to Your vision.
And I also need to know clearly
Your will for only then can I be
confident of doing the right thing.
Lord, it is really very challenging
to decipher Your sovereign will.
Plant Your thots in me & move me
as You desire; for Your Word says:
we have the mind of Christ. Amen.

Holy Spirit Helps in our Distresses

Paul anticipates questions arising
fr hearing gospel of grace. If God’s
grace is free, then am I free to sin?
If I am free from the law, then can
I ignore the ethical demands of
the law? Paul has no illusions that
becoming a Christian means the
end of your troubles. But the life
-giving Spirit provides confidence,
for victorious Christian living
in the storms of everyday life.

Lord, help us Pray with Your Spirit:
There is… no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus,
who walk according to the Spirit.
For the law of the Spirit of Life
In Christ has made me free from
the law of sin and death (Rom 8:1-2)
Those who are controlled by the
Holy Spirit think about things that
please the Spirit… (And) if the
Holy Spirit Controls your mind,
there’s life and peace (v5-6).
The Spirit Helps us in our weakness.
We do not know what we ought to
pray for, but the Spirit Intercedes
for… the saints in accordance with
the will of God. And we know that…
God Works for the Good of those
who love him, who have been called
according to His purpose (v26-28).

Lord Jesus, No Condemnation are
two of the most beautiful words.
Yet sometimes they are hard to
believe, hard to really take hold of.
For sometimes I may be quick
to blame others for the problem,
but deep down I condemn myself.
Help me Lord to live in the reality
of the freedom that comes from
Your grace and be at peace. Amen.

Father God, let Your Spirit Control
my heart so that I experience peace.
Direct my thoughts even as I yield
my mind to You Lord each day.
Lead me Lord to think of things that
please You; and guard my mind from
anything that is contrary to Yr ways.
Thank You Lord for setting me free
from sin & death through the power
of Your life-giving Spirit. Amen.

Holy Spirit, help me in my weakness
by interceding for me and thru me.
You know the will of the Father
and You know what to pray for.
Guide & teach me Lord especially
when I have exhausted all words.
Help me to communicate to God
my deepest thoughts, feelings,
fears and doubts, so that my
prayers are pleasing to Him. Amen

Trusting God thru His Promises

The purpose of the apostolic letter
of Romans is to introduce Paul as
well as to give a sample of his key
message before he arrives in Rome.
On Monday, we learn from Rom 1
that there’s Power of God in Gospel.
On Tuesday, we learn from Rom 3
that God Liberates Us from Sin.
On Wed, we learn from Rom 5
that God Uses Trials for Good.
On Thursday, we learn from Rom 8
that Spirit Helps in our Distresses.
On Friday, we learn from Rom 12
that God Transforms & Renews Us.
On Saturday, we learn from Rom 15
that God Imparts Confident Hope.
Let us humble ourselves and pray
and seek His face. Help us O God
be Christ’s disciples who trust You:
for You truly keep Your promises
and there’s power in the gospel;
for You not only free us from sin
but also renew and transform us;
for You use trials for good, impart
confident hope & help in distresses.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Spirit Imparts Confident Hope

For 11 chapters Paul has set forth
the doctrine of the Christian faith.
The balance of his letter moves
into the practical outworking of
that faith. For every assignment,
there is a enablement from God:
Serve one another using the gifts
God gave you; be subject to higher
authorities; be sensitive to needs
of weaker brothers; be united
in purpose & have mind of Christ.

Lord, fill us with Joy, Peace & Hope:
For whatever things were written
before were written for our learning,
that we through the patience
and comfort of the Scripture
might have Hope (Rom 15:4).
Jesus Christ has become
a servant to the circumcision
for the truth of God, to confirm
the promises made (Rom 15:8).
May the God of Hope fill you
with all joy and peace as
you trust Him so that you may
Overflow with Hope by the power
of the Holy Spirit (Rom 15:13).

Father, it’s difficult to be peaceful
when facing difficult situations.
I need and want to overflow with
confident hope; and I appropriate
Apostle Paul’s prayer as my own.
As I continue to believe in You
and trust You, fill me with peace,
and let me overflow with hope
thru the power of Your Spirit. Amen.

Lord Jesus, it’s a pretty grim world
out there, and prolonged trials
can also cause us to doubt.
Fill me Lord to overflowing with
Hope as I turn my heart to You.
Fill me with hope and restore
me Lord even as I trust in You.
Help me take my eyes off the
challenge but focus in Your promise
and wait upon You to act. Amen.

Spirit, I love Your Word, but I need
it to be personalised. Pour it deep
into my heart Your rhema Word
the truth that I really need to hear.
Fill me Lord with joy and peace,
as I perceive how I can best serve
You with my life. Teach me to trust
You more, so that I can rest more
joyfully and peacefully in You. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcKxZzWKezUfFMsAUSiMY8A?feature=emb_ch_name_ex

God Transforms & Renews Us

What u believe affect how u behave.
For 11 chapters Paul has set forth
the doctrine of the Christian faith.
The balance of his letter moves
into the practical outworking of
that faith. For every assignment,
there is an enablement from God:
Serve one another using the gifts
God gave you; be subject to higher
authorities; be sensitive to needs
of weaker brothers; be united
in purpose & have mind of Christ.

Lord, we Consecrate our being to U:
Give your bodies to God. Let them
be a Living Sacrifice… When you
think of what He has done for you,
is this too much to ask? (Rom 12:1)
Don’t copy the behaviour and
customs of this world, but let God
Transform you into a new person
by changing the way you think.
Then you will Know what God
wants you to do, and you will
know how good and pleasing
and perfect His will really is (v2).
Let love be without hypocrisy… Be
kindly affectionate to one another…
fervent in spirit, serving the Lord…
continuing steadfast in prayer(9-12).

Lord, I don’t really know what
these days will hold, but I offer
myself to You as a living sacrifice.
Fill me with Your spirit of love, joy,
peace and patience. Renew and
transform my mind with Your truth.
Make me to be a new person, and
show me what You want me to do,
the person U want me to minister.
And all glory be unto You. Amen.

Lord, help me grow closer to You.
Help me understand the difference
between what You desire and
what the world offers. Teach me
not to apply the behaviours and
customs of this world but Be
Transformed into a new person.
As I seek to follow You, let me know
Your will. And help me stay on the
right track as I purpose to take
small steps of faith each day. Amen

Lord, do Your transforming work
in me through Your Word that I may
learn to know Your heart desires.
Give me the mind of Christ so that
I will be able to make wise decisions
that will also be pleasing to You.
Guide me in Your way and by
Your Word to embrace Your will.
And work in me Lord not only to will
but to do Your good pleasure. Amen.